1. Field: This invention relates to cigarette extinguishers and snuffers, and more particularly to a portable readily storable cigarette extinguisher.
2. State of the Art: Various cigarette extinguishers and snuffers are known. E. G. Johnson, U.S. Pat. No. 2,120,027 describes a cigarette extinguisher with a plurality of flanges at the bottom of a hollow cylinder to receive and hold the lighted end of a cigarette. The device is portable, but does not extend to cover and provide protection to the unlit portion of the cigarette. The unlighted cigarette segment thus can be bent or damaged. M. Horlick, U.S. Pat. No. 2,335,674 discloses a two piece cigarette conserver. A cigarette is placed in the one end of the barrel piece and a cap piece is then placed thereon to cover the unlit end. This two piece construction is subject to the same loss problems as a fountain pen, i.e. a user loses either the top or bottom; thereby affecting the operability of the invention. H. Stackowiak, U.S. Pat. No. 2,246,642 discloses another two piece cigarette extinguisher which is subject to the same problems as Horlick. L. Mertzel, U.S. Pat. No. 2,536,302 is another two piece cigarette extinguisher and retrieving device. Mertzel has an elaborate internal structure which is difficult to manufacture, and is subject to the same loss problems as Horlick and Stachowiak. J. J. Dorrance, U.S. Pat. No. 3,173,641 discloses a combination ash tray and snuffer. Essentially, Dorrance is a short closed end tube in which the lighted end of a cigarette is placed. A base positions the tube to receive the cigarette such that the cigarette is held in the snuffer by gravity. The contents of the ash tray and snuffer are readily lost in the event that the device is tipped or dropped upside down. W. R. Field, U.S. Pat. No. 2,715,961 discloses a three piece safety extinguisher with two compartments. The first compartment extinguishes smoking material. The second compartment extinguishes matches. The three pieces can be lost and are not sized to fit within a conventional package of cigarettes.
Thus, there remains a need for a portable one piece extinguisher sized of sufficient dimensions to accomodate and temporarily store cigars, cigarettes and cylindrical smoking materials and at the same time fit within a conventional pack or box.